Spotlights

On Tuesday, March 1, LDF filed a friend-of-court brief in the Supreme Court of the United States supporting the plaintiffs in a historic, nationwide, sex-discrimination lawsuit filed against Wal-Mart Stores, Dukes v. Wal-Mart. In its brief, LDF asserted the negative consequences of accepting Wal-Mart’s position, which imposes heightened hurdles for victims of discrimination to clear before they can proceed as a class.

Denying victims the ability to proceed together as a class could prevent many victims from claiming their rights under federal antidiscrimination law. Wal-Mart would also force victims to choose between suing as a class and seeking monetary relief—an approach that would undermine Congress’s purpose of making victims whole for all injuries they have suffered due to discrimination.

LDF was joined on this brief by a broad coalition of civil rights non-profit groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, AARP, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc., LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Asian American Justice Center, Asian Law Caucus, and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.